Hello Everyone! My name is Jamie and I’m a P2 and Diversity Ambassador for the College of Pharmacy. I’m from Sandusky Ohio, The Roller Coaster Capital of the World! I did my undergrad in psychology here at OSU and I’m currently and intern at Riverside Hospital. I really love walking around campus and exploring the food scene around Columbus.
Since it is early Fall Semester, I wanted to share some ways to be involved on campus outside of the College of Pharmacy. One of the best things about being a Buckeye is the endless opportunities we have to be active and involved within the campus community, Columbus, and beyond.
One of my favorite things to do is Buck-I Serve. Buck-I- serve is our alternative break trip here at OSU. Trips are offered during winter, spring and summer break. Trip destinations include New York, Florida, Georgia, Costa Rica and more. The purpose of these trips is to visit an underserved community and pay it forward during break. Depending on the destination, trip activities can include volunteering at soup kitchens, tutoring youth, cleaning aquatic preserves, and habitat for humanity. I have done buck-I serve multiple times and its always a lot of fun, it’s a way to meet new people and help those in need. The cool thing is, while these trips do cost money for undergrad, they don’t for professional students. As a Pharm D student you are eligible to apply as an Advisor, which makes the trip and travel expenses free. This is a leadership role, where you can use your leadership skills to help guide the trip and make sure everything runs smoothly. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity as a professional student.
Another way to be involved is with OUAB grad/professional. OUAB (Ohio Union Activities Board) is a student org on campus that hosts free events for current students. Some of these events include free movie nights and therapy dogs during finals week. The grad/professional chapter specifically aims to enhance the personal growth of grad/prof students and help us reach our goals. They host events such as CV reviews, group fitness classes, leadership workshops, finance management courses, and much more. Attending these events is a way to meet other professional students on campus and a great way to take advantage of the resources they offer. There’s also leadership positions available, so you can play a part in planning these great events.
Lastly, other ways to be involved are the volunteer days held on campus. Two examples are Community Commitment and MLK Day. For these events you can apply online to be a site leader. The duties are to lead a small group of students to a volunteer site where you will simply volunteer for the day. I have been assigned to food banks, nursing homes, and community gardens for these events. It a fun way to give back to the community and meet new people. At the end of the day, as the leader you will lead your group in a reflection, just discussing what you learned and sharing any thoughts from the activity.
So now that you have some ideas, I really hope this encourages you to get active and involved here on campus. Whether it be pharmacy organizations or any of the ones listed above, its important to find what you’re passionate about and take advantage of the great resources we have available here at OSU. Go Bucks!